Search found 78 matches

by InfyMcGirk
Tue May 14, 2013 1:32 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?
Replies: 16
Views: 8909

Re: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?

Just to let you know, I went ahead with this build with the same specs as listed above, with the exception of the optical drives where I picked up a couple of Pioneer units, which seem very quiet in most use (they clunk around a bit when first reading a new disc). I also went the whole hog and bough...
by InfyMcGirk
Sun Apr 14, 2013 11:22 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?
Replies: 16
Views: 8909

Re: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?

Thanks Steve. Given that I was thinking of swapping out the fans in the NH-D14 with PWM equivalents anyway, I might just try mounting the stock cooler fans on the bottom and top fan mounts. I could attach the case's stock fans to one fan controller channel and the top/bottom (ex-cooler) fans to the ...
by InfyMcGirk
Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:09 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?
Replies: 16
Views: 8909

Re: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?

The caddy I've been looking at for my SSD-swapping plan is this: http://www.quietpc.com/nof-ssd-caddy It takes (up to) 2 x 2.5" SSDs and allows them to be slotted into a standard 3.5" floppy-sized bay. I understand the DS1 case comes with an adapter to convert one of its three 5.25" optical bays int...
by InfyMcGirk
Thu Apr 11, 2013 11:11 pm
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: Advice on these specs (Noise wise)
Replies: 7
Views: 3701

Re: Advice on these specs (Noise wise)

I would strongly recommend looking into a standalone NAS. I had vaguely similar requirements to yours and it was only when I got my NAS and started to explore its feature set that I realised actually it would probably replace a proper server for lots of uses... My NAS can even do some on-the-fly vid...
by InfyMcGirk
Thu Apr 11, 2013 4:44 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?
Replies: 16
Views: 8909

Re: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?

So after some Googling and reading about positive vs negative case pressure arguments, I'm confused. :) The general consensus seems to be that negative pressure in most cases leads to slightly lower temps, but positive pressure leads to less dust (or rather, more dust on the easy-to-clean dust filte...
by InfyMcGirk
Thu Apr 11, 2013 2:58 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?
Replies: 16
Views: 8909

Re: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?

Thanks Pappnaas for the reviews. I think that's helped confirm my choice of the DS1. My only worry is that the I/O flap on top is a bit flimsy/plasticky - several of the reviews report that - but I don't think there's such a thing as a perfect case... I agree that the dust will end up somewhere in t...
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:58 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?
Replies: 16
Views: 8909

Re: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?

Thanks Steve. :) I remember looking into those cases that you mention, but can't remember now why I thought the DS1 was preferable... I think it was probably just a taste/opinion thing: I prefer the minimalist aesthetics of the R4/DS1 and the stealthy top-panel for USB/audio on the DS1 to the front-...
by InfyMcGirk
Tue Apr 09, 2013 4:09 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?
Replies: 16
Views: 8909

New quiet(ish) PC/Hackintosh build - thoughts?

Hello! I would like some opinions/suggestions on my current shopping list for a new PC please. My last self-built PC lasted over 10 years before it died, so I'm very much in the camp of "build something quite nice that will last a while" rather than replacing a £300 PC every couple of years. However...
by InfyMcGirk
Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:50 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: where can i plug 2 noctua fans with gigabyte ud4p mobo?
Replies: 13
Views: 5797

I believe most/some 4pin headers in the motherboard can accept 3pin connectors (the little latch bit is offset from centre to match 3pin plugs). Then in the bios, choose 'legacy' or 'voltage' or similar (not 'auto' or 'pwm'). Sorry but I can't remember the exact setting. Perhaps the mobo manual migh...
by InfyMcGirk
Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:00 am
Forum: The Silent Front
Topic: The "squealing" phenomenon, what to buy?
Replies: 8
Views: 7804

I'm extremely happy with my Modu82+ 625W... but I've also read some less flattering reports on it. Some people have reported that their fan made a ticking noise almost as soon as they turned it on. No such problems with mine. Sadly, variations between individual units seem very common in the field o...
by InfyMcGirk
Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:56 am
Forum: CPU Cooling
Topic: where can i plug 2 noctua fans with gigabyte ud4p mobo?
Replies: 13
Views: 5797

They're not silly questions. :) Personally I don't like the manual fan controllers with knobs on the outside of the case. My current system uses Zalman Fanmate2s, so my fans are permanently dialled down to slow/quiet. But then in my current system I use a big external watercooling radiator for CPU/G...
by InfyMcGirk
Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:16 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Teaching religion in school is child abuse ?
Replies: 62
Views: 28786

Generally speaking, science doesn't pretend to have all the answers to everything. In fact, if a better idea comes along, it's tested against the evidence and then used as the current explanation. It's this process of changing and re-evaluating what is considered the best way to understand stuff tha...
by InfyMcGirk
Thu Apr 16, 2009 2:28 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: HTPC advise please
Replies: 5
Views: 3918

I don't know a huge amount about HTPC cases... but I would think you'd struggle to find one with space for more than one or two HDDs. I've never heard of an HTPC case with 6+ HDD slots. You'd perhaps be better off either using a more traditional server case or considering putting your storage in a s...
by InfyMcGirk
Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:37 am
Forum: Silent Storage
Topic: Quietest ~1TB, at least 7200 RPM?
Replies: 7
Views: 5082

+1 for Samsung F1s. I've got two and they're quiet, as far as fast, large HDDs go.
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 15, 2009 3:39 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Are you aware that you're going to die ?
Replies: 11
Views: 7355

I thought I was having a heart attack early last year. Turned out I had viral myocarditis . Even so, it was a scary time for a while and reminded me of my mortality. I'd like to say that I'd followed through with all the things I promised myself I'd do to 'sort my life out'... but all that's really ...
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:57 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Trying to find nonintrusive antivirus software
Replies: 10
Views: 5497

+1 for ESET's NOD32 AV. I now use it on all my PCs. Very easy to use, unobtrusive and seems to work fine.
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:54 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Teaching religion in school is child abuse ?
Replies: 62
Views: 28786

IMHO, religion is an adult's prerogative. It should be the result of: (a) a prison sentence (b) a blinding light (c) a mid-life crisis ... or any combination of the above. Children can't make informed decisions about religion, so they should be protected from it otherwise people can take advantage o...
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:41 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Game violence, age limits and teens
Replies: 21
Views: 10102

A couple of observations from me. At university, I used to watch pretty much anything whether gory or violent or whatever, if it was recommended by a friend as being worth a watch. I could watch pretty much anything and although horror wasn't my favourite genre, I could cope with it. I've found my t...
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:22 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Polar bear attacks woman ...
Replies: 13
Views: 5262

Well I know there are people who think they can pull off to the side of a country road, walk onto a grass field, and start petting a bunch of cows. Its not long before they realize the cows are not pets. Well I'm a city boy at heart but I now live in the country and must say I've never heard of any...
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:13 am
Forum: General Gallery
Topic: Antec NSK1380 with PicoPSU, Minja etc
Replies: 24
Views: 43999

Not meaning to sound patronising or anything, but putting together such a mini PC isn't easy for a first build. You'll need plenty of advice and perhaps some modding of parts/case to make everything fit.

It's much easier to put your parts in a bigger case. ;)
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:06 am
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: 90% efficient PSUs list
Replies: 10
Views: 4152

Mats wrote:Use my link instead.
Yes, I was talking about your link. The first link didn't even appear as a link for me. Weird...
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:38 am
Forum: Power Supplies
Topic: 90% efficient PSUs list
Replies: 10
Views: 4152

The actual list seems to be within an image which is 1x1px big..? I certainly can't see any list. Maybe it's just me? :(
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:39 am
Forum: Watercooling
Topic: Zalman Reserator 1 V2 + GTX 295
Replies: 18
Views: 19582

I would use a 1200rpm fan rather than an 800rpm one if I was going to replace the XT's normal fan, because the XT includes a fan controller and low-rpm fans can have problems at lower voltages. I have a Reserator (the first one) and it's still going strong after several years. For my next system I'm...
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:29 am
Forum: Cases and Damping
Topic: P183 Reviewed
Replies: 41
Views: 21741

I agree... the holes look especially tacky with those chrome bits. Urgh. I'm sticking with Plan A - a P182. :)
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:22 am
Forum: Fans and Control
Topic: Silencing a Asus Radeon 4650
Replies: 4
Views: 3317

Unfortunately, you won't be able to find a quiet small fan. Only the larger fans can shift a decent amount of air whilst running at low rpms, which means they're quiet (if you pick a quiet model!). If you feel comfortable with dealing with thermal paste and re-assembling heatsinks etc, you should tr...
by InfyMcGirk
Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:13 am
Forum: Site Feedback
Topic: Plenty of Fish Ads
Replies: 11
Views: 164033

Assuming you use (or can use) Firefox, just use Adblock Plus. I started using it because I thought I was going to get epilepsy or something with some of the worst flashing ads around... they weren't just annoying but rather they were preventing me from easily reading the content of some sites and gi...
by InfyMcGirk
Tue Apr 07, 2009 5:32 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: P182 i7 system
Replies: 33
Views: 14417

Interesting! Thanks for the clarification. :)
by InfyMcGirk
Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:02 am
Forum: System Advice / Troubleshooting
Topic: P182 i7 system
Replies: 33
Views: 14417

Essentially only the eye-wateringly expensive i7 models have an unlocked multiplier... so raising the speed of the 'bclk' on cheaper models is the only way to overclock. Running memory at 1600 is done in this way. It will definitely take more cooling than running at stock but the good news is the X5...
by InfyMcGirk
Sun Apr 05, 2009 12:00 am
Forum: Off Topic
Topic: Silent UPS
Replies: 74
Views: 101870

Just got my Smart-UPS 1500VA and the fan runs all the time. Loud enough to drive me bonkers... I know it's probably the best UPS to use, but I think I'll put it in my other room for my file server. Sorry to hear that, but it doesn't match my experience. Do you use a lot of load on it, in high ambie...